Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan was a shock exclusion from CAF's preliminary 34-man list for the African Football of the Year.
Africa's governing body released its list for this year's award on Thursday and the exclusion the UAE-based striker has raised eyebrows in many quarters.
The exclusion of Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon has also been criticised as many players on the list did not match up to the performances of the two stars this year.
Gyan, who ended up as the top scorer in the UAE league, was left out even though he was also key when the Black Stars reached the semi-final Cup of Nations in January.
He has already hit the ground running in the UAE top-flight so far this season scoring seven times in three appearances.
CAF said in a statement that it will announce the top 10 nominees for the African Footballer of the Year and the top five nominees for African footballer of the Year (based in Africa) by late October.
The names of the respective 10 and five finalists will then be sent to national associations, head coaches and secretary generals to select the top three finalists.
The awards, which also include Coach of the Year and Club of the Year will be announced at a ceremony on 20 December in the Banquet Hall, State House in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
Nominees for African Player of the Year:
- Abdelaziz Barrada - Getafe (Spain) and Morocco
- Adel Taarabt - Queens Park Rangers (England) and Morocco
- Alain Sibiri Traore - Lorient (France) and Burkina Faso
- Alexander Song - Barcelona (Spain) and Cameroon
- Andre 'Dede' Ayew - Marseille (France) and Ghana
- Arouna Kone - Wigan (England) and Ivory Coast
- Aymen Abdennour - Toulouse (France) and Tunisia
- Bakaye Traore - AC Milan (Italy) and Mali
- Cheick Tiote - Newcastle United (England) and Ivory Coast
- Christopher Katongo - Henan Construction (China) and Zambia
- Demba Ba - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal
- Didier Drogba - Shanghai Shenhua (China) and Ivory Coast
- Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu - Udinese (Italy) and Ghana
- Emmanuel Mayuka - Southampton (England) and Zambia
- Foxi Kethevoama - FC Astana (Kazakhstan) and Central African Republic
- Gervinho - Arsenal (England) and Ivory Coast
- Hilaire Momi - Le Mans (France) and Central African Republic
- John Obi Mikel - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria
- John Utaka - Montpellier (France) and Nigeria
- Kwadwo Asamoah - Juventus (Italy) and Ghana
- Moussa Sow - Fenerbahce (Turkey) and Senegal
- Nicolas N'koulou - Marseille (France) and Cameroon
- Papiss Demba Cisse - Newcastle United (England) and Senegal
- Pape Moussa Konate - FC Krasnodar (Russia) and Senegal
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - St Etienne (France) and Gabon
- Rainford Kalaba - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia
- Seydou Doumbia - CSKA Moscow (Russia) and Ivory Coast
- Seydou Keita - Dalian Aerbin (China) and Mali
- Sofiane Feghouli - Valencia (Spain) and Algeria
- Stoppila Sunzu - TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Zambia
- Victor Moses - Chelsea (England) and Nigeria
- Yaya Toure - Manchester City (England) and Ivory Coast
- Younes Belhanda - Montpellier (France) and Morocco
- Youssef Msakni - Esperance (Tunisia) and Tunisia